Specialization: Combat Systems, Boss Encounters, Ability Mechanics Experience: No Name Games (Systems Designer, Oct 2024 – May 2025) + shipped solo/team projects + 1.5+ years independent portfolio work Location: Remote (Ukraine)
Every system I build, I try to exploit first. I design boss fights and ability systems by playing against my own assumptions — checking dodge windows against real player stats, finding the exploit before a player would, and not calling a mechanic done until I've genuinely failed to break it.
🎮 Play it on CrazyGames Or Watch the Fight
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Fully deterministic two-phase boss fight, designed and built solo for the CrazyGames × Construct Game Jam — first time ever using Construct 3.
Key Features:
- Every attack dodge-checked against actual player stats (movement speed, dash cooldown) — nothing can be beaten for free
- Predictive-targeting logic ported from an earlier Python prototype (Crimson Witch) into JavaScript
- Phase 2 keeps each attack's identity and visual language, but reworks its correct dodge — same theme, different solution, so player pattern-memory from Phase 1 doesn't transfer directly
Technical Highlight:
Diagnosed a Construct 3-specific bug where Restart Layout doesn't clear JS-side global state, and solved it with a reusable hide/disable-and-reset pattern instead of destroying objects.
📺 Watch 8-Minute Video Breakdown
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A simple resource idea — a limited potion pool the boss has to keep re-brewing — grew into a full encounter with world-level economic consequences.
Key Features:
- Potion brewing/resource-limit system with dual modes (self-buff vs. thrown hazards)
- Predictive targeting AI that tracks player velocity
- Player-like decision-making (heals at low HP, adapts behavior per phase)
- World economy loop: the boss's death reshapes NPC potion availability across the game world
- Modifier system: 5 difficulty toggles that upgrade both boss and loot
Technical Implementation:
- Python prototype with playable combat
- State machine AI for phases and combo attacks
- Weighted probability system for potion decisions
Reviewed by a Senior Game Designer at Blizzard Entertainment: "You've done a great job at breaking down the fight structure, describing the ramping threat, and designing a unique encounter... it's a strong theme."
An orbital combat ability that always chooses the biggest arc, never flies into the player's face, and stays stable under camera rotation.
Problem-Solving Focus:
- Quadrant-based space division (rotation-invariant, unlike an early 2-sector split that broke under camera rotation)
- Dual-tangent orbit entry/exit logic
- Phantom orbit fallback for cursor-inside-orbit edge cases
- Explicit state machine:
FALLING_INIT → GROUNDED → ENTER_ORBIT → ARCING → FLYING_TANGENT → CAPTURED
Complete custom class for Wynncraft MMO with 3 archetypes and a full ability tree, DPS-verified across 25+ builds.
Design Scope:
- 3 distinct archetypes (Defender, Elementalist, Mindbreaker), each with distinct resource mechanics
- Physics-based "Weight as a Weapon" tank identity for the Defender archetype
- Resource mechanics and ability synergies across archetypes
- JSON ability tree structure compatible with Wynnability tooling
Joined a 7–8 person volunteer team to design the core gameplay loop for a Hytale mod submitted to the CurseForge New Worlds Modding Contest (Mar–May 2026).
Contributions:
- Core gameplay loop, Crimson Escalation system, progression, and crafting economy
- Four design pillars introduced to stabilize scope after early "Idea Soup" creep
- Unofficial Vision Keeper / Lead Systems Designer role, coordinating team direction without formal production authority
This is a postmortem, not a success story — the shipped build diverged significantly from the design. Covers what went wrong, what shipped vs. designed, and lessons learned about scope, ownership, and documentation.
Evolution of one ability across three design contexts (fantasy → prototype → MMO-ready).
Shows:
- Terrain dependency analysis
- UX/balance trade-offs
- Platform-specific constraints (Wynncraft vs. Arhea)
No Name Games — Systems Designer Oct 2024 – May 2025 | Mobile Game Development (joined pre-rebrand, as White Deer)
- Designed a full trick system for a mobile snowboard game: dozens of individual tricks across 5 rarity tiers (Common → Legendary), each with its own distinct QTE mechanic — single tap, timed hold, multi-directional swipe combos, balance-bar tracking, Osu-style circle rotation
- Built a systemic environmental modifier layer (Storm, Avalanche, Wind, Ice) that alters QTE difficulty and timing across the entire trick roster, rather than being hand-scripted per trick
- Designed a scalable progression system supporting 30+ unique mechanics without changes to core logic
- Authored technical design specs for QTE and input systems: timing rules, rotation logic, failure conditions
- Modeled soft→hard currency economy loops in Excel for stable progression pacing
Core Competencies:
- Combat & Encounter Design (boss fights, ability kits, combo systems)
- Systems Design (progression, itemization, build diversity)
- Prototyping (Python, JavaScript, functional demos)
- Technical Documentation (GDDs, ability sheets, technical specs)
Design Philosophy:
- Player agency and skill expression
- Design by breaking my own assumptions before they ship
- Systemic cohesion — encounters that leave a mark on the wider game world
- Risk/reward balance and counterplay
Tools:
- Python, JavaScript (Construct 3)
- GitHub, Markdown, Trello
- Excel / Google Sheets (economy modeling, balance)
Remote Game Designer roles focused on:
- Combat systems and boss/encounter design
- Ability design and class mechanics
- Systems design and progression
Open to: Full-time positions, contract work, paid design tests
Email: timurl.gamedev@gmail.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timur-l-476966373/ Portfolio: https://github.com/coLoLrizer/PORTFOLIO
Last updated: July 2026